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Top 100 Commercials Trends in 2018

From Emotional Phone Commercials to Cinematic Wine Ads

— January 26, 2019 — Marketing
Modern commercials often feature qualities shared with films and this list of 2018 commercial trends showcases some of the most innovative and informative commercials from unlikely brands.

Most consumers wouldn't naturally associate Burger King with socio-political issues but in 2018 the fast-food chain decided to take on the absurdity of the Pink Tax. In the ad, female customers are asked to pay extra for receiving their chicken fries in a meaningless pink box. The ad works to showcase the ridiculousness of this policy, then asks viewers to support The Pink Tax Repeal Act to ensure equality across all genders.

Also included in this list is an incredibly emotional series of ads for the iPhone X. Developed by Apple's Australian market, the ad series celebrates the country's recently changed marriage laws and highlights the weddings of several LGBTQ couples.

For more commercial trends in the new year, check out Trend Hunter's 2019 Trend Report.
6.1
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
99
Hypnotic Refugee Commericals
Hypnotic Refugee Commericals
This Amnesty International Ad Shows the Trials of Refugees
<
98
Emotional Phone Commercials
Emotional Phone Commercials
The 'First Dance' Campaign is a Loving Celebration of Gay Marraige
<
97
Revamped Beer Campaigns
Revamped Beer Campaigns
'Keep It Interesante' Is the New Ad Campaign To Lead Dos Equis
<
96
Self-Aware Superhero Marketing
Self-Aware Superhero Marketing
Deadopool and Devour Have Come Together for a Humorous Commercial
<
95
Open-Minded Alcohol Campaigns
Open-Minded Alcohol Campaigns
Campari's Go Beyond a Sip Encourages a Look Beyond First Impressions
<
94
Competitive Londoner Ads
Competitive Londoner Ads
Nike's 'Nothing Beats a Londoner' is a Quirky, Viral Sensation
<
93
Rap Battle Confectionery Ads
Rap Battle Confectionery Ads
This Snickers Advertisement Sees Sir Elton John Venture into Hip-Hop
<
92
Charitable Beer Ads
Charitable Beer Ads
Stella Artois' 'Taps' Super Bowl Ad Aims to Improve Clean Water Access
<
91
Hotel-Inspired Video Promotions
Hotel-Inspired Video Promotions
RSVP Gallery Debuted a Range of Travel-Themed Gear and Clothes
<
90
Recycled Content Advertisements
Recycled Content Advertisements
Everybody.World's Trash Tee Ad Uses "Recycled" Audio and Video
<
89
Automotive Roller Coaster Apps
Automotive Roller Coaster Apps
'Audi Quattro Coaster' Lets Users Design a Roller Coaster Track
<
88
Sneaker History-Promoting Ads
Sneaker History-Promoting Ads
This Teyana Taylor Reebok Ad Considers What Classic Sneaker Style is
<
87
LGBTQ-Focused Athletic Ads
LGBTQ-Focused Athletic Ads
Nike's Be True Campaign Features an Ad Starring Leiomy Maldonado
<
86
Authentic Family Spotlighting Ads
Authentic Family Spotlighting Ads
Kraft's Super Bowl Ad Will Feature Real American Families
<
85
Television-Inspired Draft Ads
Television-Inspired Draft Ads
The 2018 NFL Draft Ad Pays Homage to the Classic TV Show 'Dallas'
<
84
Accountable Festival Ads
Accountable Festival Ads
The NXNE 2018 Campaign Takes Ownership of Its Past Downfalls
<
83
Communal Eating Campaigns
Communal Eating Campaigns
President's Choice's #EatTogether Ad Highlights the Joy in Shared Meals
<
82
Emotion-Transcending Fashion Ads
Emotion-Transcending Fashion Ads
The Bottega Veneta Fall 2018 Campaign Explores a Unique Narrative
<
81
Realistic Shopping Ads
Realistic Shopping Ads
The New Whole Foods Campaign is Its First Under Amazon Ownership
<
80
Athlete-Headed Breast Cancer Campaigns
Athlete-Headed Breast Cancer Campaigns
Serena Williams Sings to Raise Awareness for Breast Cancer
<
79
Authentic Family Commercials
Authentic Family Commercials
Kraft's Ad for Its 'Family Greatly' Campaign Uses Real Family Footage
<
78
Neighborly Coffee Initiatives
Neighborly Coffee Initiatives
Tim Hortons' 'Coffee with Neighbors' Invites People to Come Together
<
77
Definition-Evolving Video Campaigns
Definition-Evolving Video Campaigns
Bonobos' Empowering Project is About What Masculinity Means
<
76
Sentimental Tourist-Targeted Ads
Sentimental Tourist-Targeted Ads
Las Vegas' 'What Happens Here' Campaign Celebrates Gay Marriage
<
75
Inclusive Haircare Ads
Inclusive Haircare Ads
L’Oreal Paris Elvive is Represented by a Diverse Group of Men and Women
<
74
Politically Charged Burger Ads
Politically Charged Burger Ads
The Whopper Neutrality Ad is a Political Push from Burger King
<
73
Model-Styled Hair Campaigns
Model-Styled Hair Campaigns
Suave's Authentic Ad Reveals Tricks Commonly Used in Hair Commercials
<
72
Hybrid Beverage Commercials
Hybrid Beverage Commercials
Bai's Beverage Commercial Stars Justin Timberlake and the "Braspberry"
<
71
Touching Parental Insecurity Ads
Touching Parental Insecurity Ads
Kraft's Family Greatly Ad Speaks to the Pressure of Perfection
<
70
Cinematic Wine Commercials
Cinematic Wine Commercials
Vin Vault Wines' Movie-Style Ad Introduces Its New Boxed Packaging
<
69
Intentionally Uncomfortable Meeting Rooms
Intentionally Uncomfortable Meeting Rooms
'The Capsule' by Diesel Aims to Minimize Wasted Time
<
68
Arena-Sized Game Trailers
Arena-Sized Game Trailers
Sony's Projection-Mapping Trailer for God of War Debuted on an NBA Court
<
67
Drag Queen Houseware Campaigns
Drag Queen Houseware Campaigns
IKEA Canada Created a Pride Month Campaign with Toronto Drag Queens
<
66
Meme-Inspired Animated Campaign Ads
Meme-Inspired Animated Campaign Ads
Nike Channels Famous Football Player Ronaldo in Playful Ads
<
65
Fry-Shaped Stylus Devices
Fry-Shaped Stylus Devices
McDonald's and Kirby Jenner Created the 'Frylus' for National Selfie Day
<
64
Dad-Celebrating Grocer Ads
Dad-Celebrating Grocer Ads
This Tesco Father’s Day Campaign is Appreciative and Sentimental
<
63
Humorous Exclusive Candy Ads
Humorous Exclusive Candy Ads
This Exclusive Skittles Ad Will Play for Only One Person
<
62
Hilarious Review-Inspired Ads
Hilarious Review-Inspired Ads
The KIND Protein Bars Ad Stars Anna Faris and is Incredibly Funny
<
61
Celebrity-Backed Whiskey Ads
Celebrity-Backed Whiskey Ads
This Virginia Black Ad Features Drake and His Father
<
60
Inclusive Board Game Ads
Inclusive Board Game Ads
The Scrabble 'Family' Ad Reshapes the Traditional Meaning of the Word
<
59
Child Refugee-Focused Commercials
Child Refugee-Focused Commercials
The Escape Robot Ad Presents a Powerful Message
<
58
Gritty Grape Juice Campaigns
Gritty Grape Juice Campaigns
Welch's 'Tough as Grapes' Campaign Targets Gen X Men
<
57
Fast Food-Branded Cat Climbers
Fast Food-Branded Cat Climbers
KFC's Publicity Stunt is Feline-Friendly and Incredibly Adorable
<
56
Hyper-Targeted Beer Campaigns
Hyper-Targeted Beer Campaigns
Busch Beer Created a Targeted Campaign for a Family on Father's Day
<
55
Singalong Cleaning Ads
Singalong Cleaning Ads
Dishwasher Cleaner Brand Finish's Ad is Set to the Tune of 'Let It Shine'
<
54
Flaw-Celebrating Advertisements
Flaw-Celebrating Advertisements
Diesel's Keep the World Flawed Campaign Celebrates Our Differences
<
53
Funeral-Themed Burger Ads
Funeral-Themed Burger Ads
Burger King is Promoting Its New Sandwich in a Dark and Hilarious New Ad
<
52
Empowering Skincare Campaigns
Empowering Skincare Campaigns
Kora Organics' #myKORA Celebrates Customers Ages 15 to 53
<
51
Driver Appreciation Ad Spots
Driver Appreciation Ad Spots
Uber's Beyond 5 Stars Campaign Thanks Its Most Complimented Drivers
<
50
Provocative Clean Beauty Campaigns
Provocative Clean Beauty Campaigns
Holland & Barrett's Ad Depicts Personal Care Products as Food
<
49
Meditative Fast Food Ads
Meditative Fast Food Ads
KFC Partners with Mother London for Soothing and Tasty Imagery
<
48
Fast Food-Sniffing Guide Dogs
Fast Food-Sniffing Guide Dogs
This Burger King Short Tells the Story of Nathan Tree and His Dog
<
47
Hilariously Authentic Advertisments
Hilariously Authentic Advertisments
The John Malkovich Ad is an Honest Story from the Actor
<
46
Feminist Fast Food Ads
Feminist Fast Food Ads
Burger King's Chick Tax Confronts Prejudice with This Humorous Ad
<
45
Familial Togetherness Tech Ads
Familial Togetherness Tech Ads
Amazon's 'Be Together More' Introduces the First Echo Spot Ad
<
44
Inclusive Cosmetic Commercials
Inclusive Cosmetic Commercials
FENTY Beauty's Ad is Sassy and Supportive of the LGBTQ+ Community
<
43
Stereotype-Fighting Ads
Stereotype-Fighting Ads
Harry's 'A Man Like You' Ad Questions What Constitutes Masculinity
<
42
Charitable Watermark Initiatives
Charitable Watermark Initiatives
Getty Images Launched a Campaign Entitled 'Watermarks for Water'
<
41
VR Fashion Experiences
VR Fashion Experiences
Barneys' Mantle VR Experience is a Engaging Ad for its New Collection
<
40
Undead Insurance Commercials
Undead Insurance Commercials
Farmers' Halloween Ad for Insurance Comically Addresses the Afterlife
<
39
Refreshed Citrus Punch Campaigns
Refreshed Citrus Punch Campaigns
SunnyD is Sporting a New Look and a Gen Z-Targeted Campaign
<
38
Olympic Apparel Music Videos
Olympic Apparel Music Videos
The Nike 'Run It' Film Stars Jay Park and Top Korean Athletes
<
37
Confusing Fragrance Ads
Confusing Fragrance Ads
A Strange Old Spice Ad Baffled and Intrigued Viewers During the Grammys
<
36
Cheerfully Sunny Beer Campaigns
Cheerfully Sunny Beer Campaigns
Paying Tribute to the Sun, Sol's Campaign Outlines Brand Identity
<
35
Gen Z Makeup Campaigns
Gen Z Makeup Campaigns
The Rimmel Match Perfection Campaign Champions Individual Beauty & Power
<
34
Mindful Male-Targeted Lifestyle Campaigns
Mindful Male-Targeted Lifestyle Campaigns
Lululemon Targets Men with Its 'Strength to Be' Campaign
<
33
Eco-Friendly Toilet Foams
Eco-Friendly Toilet Foams
Squatty Potty's 'Toilet Paper Foam' is an Alternative to the Wet Wipe
<
32
Humorous Family-Centric Travel Campaigns
Humorous Family-Centric Travel Campaigns
Delta Airlines Reminds Kids in Seattle to Visit Home
<
31
Purposefully Misleading Burger Promotions
Purposefully Misleading Burger Promotions
The Whopper Detour Sends Consumers to McDonald's
<
30
Playful Family-Centric Campaigns
Playful Family-Centric Campaigns
Cobb Studio Boasts an Exceptionally Positive Campaign for Hyundai
<
29
Energetic Celebrity-Backed Sportswear Ads
Energetic Celebrity-Backed Sportswear Ads
Adrianne Ho and Dua Lipa Were a Part of This adidas Spot
<
28
Empowering Sporty Commercials
Empowering Sporty Commercials
Muscle Milk's Playful Ad is Targeted at the Female Athlete
<
27
Millennial-Driven Hotel Ads
Millennial-Driven Hotel Ads
Courtyard by Marriott Aligns Itself with Millennial Values
<
26
Iconic Film Ads
Iconic Film Ads
An 'Overlook Hotel' Ad Aired During the 2018 Oscars Telecast
<
25
Authentic Cultural Fashion Campaigns
Authentic Cultural Fashion Campaigns
Bihor Couture is a Brand That Celebrates Romanian Fashion
<
24
Creatively Romantic Beauty Commercials
Creatively Romantic Beauty Commercials
Shiseido Targets Halloween Consumers with Heart-Warming Ads
<
23
AI-Created Car Commercials
AI-Created Car Commercials
This Lexus Ad Was Entirely Scripted by Artificial Intelligence
<
22
Humanizing Technology Ads
Humanizing Technology Ads
GE's 'What Matters' Campaign Shows How Its Products Affect Lives
<
21
Life-Saving Print Ads
Life-Saving Print Ads
This Ad Hopes to Combat Carbon Monoxide-Related Deaths
<
20
Anime-Inspired Video Game Ads
Anime-Inspired Video Game Ads
The Blizzard Anime Trailer has Fans Craving a Full Anime Series
<
19
Horror-Inspired Streaming Service Ads
Horror-Inspired Streaming Service Ads
Spotify Captures Consumer Attention with a Scary Commercial
<
18
Humorous Drinking-Enablement Ads
Humorous Drinking-Enablement Ads
Heineken's Now You Can Celebrates Drinking Non-Alcoholic Beer
<
17
Dad Joke Ad Campaigns
Dad Joke Ad Campaigns
These Humorous PSAs Highlight the Importance of a Father's Involvement
<
16
Exploratory Beauty Campaigns
Exploratory Beauty Campaigns
The ASOS Face + Body Series Talks Identity, Gender & Beauty
<
15
Vitiligo Model-Inclusive Beauty Campaigns
Vitiligo Model-Inclusive Beauty Campaigns
Amy Deanna is a Part of Covergirl's Diverse Campaign
<
14
Female-Centered Empowering Razor Campaigns
Female-Centered Empowering Razor Campaigns
Billie Celebrates Female Body Hair with Its New Video
<
13
Advertisement-Referencing Shoes
Advertisement-Referencing Shoes
The Hanon x Reebok Collaboration References a 2000 UK TV Ad
<
12
Engaging Animated Safety Ads
Engaging Animated Safety Ads
Ontario Power Generation Issues a Warning with a Video for Canadians
<
11
Male-Led Menstruation Campaigns
Male-Led Menstruation Campaigns
Pink Parcel's 'I'm On' Campaign Stars Kenny Jones
<
10
Workplace Diversity Campaigns
Workplace Diversity Campaigns
HP's latest 'Reinvent Mindsets' Video Addresses the Latino Community
<
9
Celebratory Futuristic Commercials
Celebratory Futuristic Commercials
McDonald's Spain Celebrates the Upcoming 50 Years of Big Mac
<
8
Transparent Vodka Campaigns
Transparent Vodka Campaigns
The Newest Absolut Vodka Campaign Focuses on Sustainability
<
7
Historic Soda Ads
Historic Soda Ads
The 'This is Pepsi' Ad Celebrates the Brand's Long History
<
6
Faux Movie Trailer Commercials
Faux Movie Trailer Commercials
Web of Fries is Taco Bell's Faux Trailer to Finally Introduce Fries
<
5
Playfully Creative Lingerie Campaigns
Playfully Creative Lingerie Campaigns
Berlei's Ad Emphasizes the Effects Sports Have on Breasts
<
4
Celebratory Cannabis Legalization Campaigns
Celebratory Cannabis Legalization Campaigns
Tokyo Smoke & Common Good Release a Very Clever Video
<
3
Hyper-Realistic CGI Campaigns
Hyper-Realistic CGI Campaigns
Google Tests the Boundaries of Forms and Textures in Project Fi Ads
<
2
Confidence-Boosting Skincare Campaigns
Confidence-Boosting Skincare Campaigns
Sk-II's '#BareSkinProject Taps into Chloë Grace Moretz
<
1
Humorous Fast Food Commercials
Humorous Fast Food Commercials
KFC Tags Apple in This Incredibly Relevant Video on Twitter
<